


New Modern

by drownoutlove (Sept_Meules)



Series: Modern nuclear family [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coffee Shops, College, Estrangement, Fish & Chips, Formalwear, Good guy Abstergo, Heart-to-Heart, Just for this fic dont worry, M/M, Manga & Anime, Reconciliation, Sleepovers, Social Media, Video & Computer Games, YouTube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-10-26 07:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17741861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sept_Meules/pseuds/drownoutlove
Summary: Connor just bought himself a video camera when his mother told him his estranged father wants Connor to spend the summer break with him.orModern AU where Connor is a new vlogger, Haytham owns a mansion with a pool, and Shay is Haytham's 'partner'.





	1. Plane ticket

There's something charming about uploading your own creation for the world to see. Beautiful artworks in Instagram, deviantArt, Society6 and the likes. Or music in Soundcloud or YouTube.

  
But there’s something more intimate, more invasive and narcissistic about showing parts of your life to strangers over the internet.

  
Like vlogging.

  
The idea occurred to him when he was watching Marzia's quaint videos of her showing her outfits: just a simple pose here and there, some aesthetics shots, and walking around the streets of Brighton, with or without Maya and Edgar.

  
And that was when he decided to buy his own camera. There was a reason for his savings jar, he just wasn’t aware it was for a camera.

  
He took Arno with him, his kind of distant cousin but how many degrees removed. But they're best friends anyway. And Elise, Arno's girlfriend (they may be low-key married already) took her father's sports car to drive them all to the mall. Which was a good thing, because Elise had the necessary knowledge for these kinds of things: camera things.  
“Spring Break, babes.” She said as she easily slot in a parking space.

  
Arno cheered, while Connor halfheartedly raised an arm.

 

 

 

They were at the mall food court sharing a large mound of nachos and fries.

Elise had managed to get her store clerk friend to give them an employee discount.

They've left the cords and whatnot in Elise's car and took the camera and spare battery with.

“ _So welcome to Connor's first ever vlog!_ ” Elise exclaimed when she hit record. She panned at Connor, who had a mouthful of nachos in his mouth. “ _Such a beautiful boy_.”

Connor downed his food with a sip of his drink then swallowed. “ _Don’t say that, your husband might get jealous_.” He say it with a flat face, Elise laughed behind the camera. (People find it hard to interact with Connor as he tends to not show emotion. There was one classmate who even went as far as asked him if he was a sociopath. Obviously he was not. So Connor really treasured Arno and Elise since they understood he had his own sense of humor, if not, a lack of showing his emotions.

“ _I won’t get jealous_.” Elise turned the camera to the right, to the source of the voice. Just to Elise's right was Arno, phone in his hand, just having had replied to a text, a bag of his new Nike shoes hanging from his fist. He then noticed the two stare at the box of Nike shoes then at him expectantly.

Elise panned at Arno, his waist up.

“ _They had these on sale, I couldn’t pass it up._ ” He told the two in nonchalance.

Anyone could hear the patient smile in Elise voice when she said, “ _But you just bought a new pair the other month_.”

Connor laughed, Elise quickly snapped the camera towards Connor. The guy said, “ _You know, I strive to your level of petty._ ”

Camera on Arno, snapping into incredulous and looking affronted. “ _Petty_?!”

Going back home, Connor -by Elise's special instructions -- had the camera focused on him. And Elise, with her special guidance, was asking Connor questions that sounded very much like the bio you write and tag others at Tumblr.

They drop him off at his house. They’ve promised to meet up again tomorrow so Elise can show Connor how to use his camera and do basic functions on his video editing software.

Entering the house, he called out if his mother was there. She answered saying she was in the kitchen. He is met with the sight of his mother stirring up stew.

“Hi mama, how are you?” He greeted as he hugged her and kissed her cheek.

She smiled and went back to stirring.

“I bought myself a camera.” He told her, sitting by the kitchen table and pulling out his new camera. He turned it on and started recording.

“Uh-huh?” She replied, a bit to stiffly.

“Yeah,” he zoomed in on his mother’s back. “I wanna try my hand on vlogging.”

“Right.”

Then he paused, noticing his mother’s lack of… warmth. He lowered his camera and looked at her in concern. “Mama?”

“Yes, son?” She replied.

“Are you alright?” He placed the camera down.

She lowered the heat on the stove and faced him, leaning back on the counter beside the stove. “Your father called me.”

His blood ran cold. It can’t be. He doesn’t have a father, well, not anymore, to his knowledge. He had an emotion he could not understand. Horror? Fascination? “What? But—but you said my father is--"

She shifted to hold her arms across her chest. “He was dead to me. To us. I don’t know how he found his way to my phone number.”

He took a deep breath. One that felt like breathing in cold air. “What does he--"

“He wants to see you.” She said, albeit darkly.

He blinked, looking around, anywhere but at his mother’s gaze. “I… Well, do you want to see him?”

She sighed, then sat across the table from him, “I’m indifferent to your father. And I’m not the one he’s looking for.”

He looked up, “Should, should I see him?”

The edge of her lips twitched up, a reassuring smile. “He’s bought you a plane ticket. Its on your desk.”

 

 

 

 

“ _Your father’s actually alive? Huh_.” Elise said.

Connor had texted Arno and her for an emergency meeting. Arno called him on Discourse, Elise joined two seconds later.

He had his phone mounted up on a wooden phone stand that looked like a cat. It was Elise's Christmas gift to him, even though she fully knew he didn’t celebrate Christmas. Connor could still hear their conversation last year.

_(“Altair doesn’t either, but why the fuck does he have to announce he’s celebrating Christmas with Malik?”_

_Then came Arno's voice, who was stuffing his face with the junk food Elise could no longer eat. “Cozsh gey're hucking!”)_

“ _Are you going to meet him?_ ” Arno asked, then rephrased, “ _Do you want to meet him_?”

“Should I?” Connor asked back. He was completely confused as to what he should be thinking. Or feeling.

Elise pouted in thought, “ _Do you know what he looks like_?”

“No.” He confessed, defeated.

“ _Do you have a name_?” Arno asked, he leaned forward and looked down.

“Haytham Kenway.” He told him, “But I really don’t want to do a Google search of him.”

“ _Oh_.” Arno said shortly, hands already on his keyboard.

“How about you two?” He asked, giving a small smile, “Would you do it? If you were in my position.”

How the two said “Yes" in unison only confirmed what he actually wanted to hear.

“Well then.” He said, going to his closet to grab his luggage, “I’m going to England.”

 

 

 

 

So here he was, in an uptown London neighborhood.

When he gave his taxi driver the address, the man gave him a weird look, then heaved, “Alright then.”

Connor had wanted to ask what spurred the taxi driver to make such a reaction. Were there bad rumors regarding Haytham Kenway? Because if there was, Connor kind of needed to know. The man was his biological father of course.

Right now he was looking up a large maroon gate, so large he could barely get a glimpse of the house. There were no other indicators that yes this is where Haytham Kenway lives, or yes his family lives here. There was only the house number.

He hummed in thought.

Yeah, this place has to be the place, right?

What if Haytham had a family already? A child and a wife? And here comes Connor, a reminder of a fling Haytham had in America. Was this even a good plan? To come up a house where a nice family lives? He’s basically intruding, isn’t he?

Before he could think too much, his stubbornness got the best of him. His arm reached over the doorbell. It wasn’t too late to run and get the next flight back to America.

He pressed the doorbell , much to his own horror, and a minute later, a man's voice came over the speaker.

“Yes?”

“Uhm,” this is awkward, “Is this Haytham Kenway's house?”

“Yes, why?” Oh god, was this guy his son or something? Connor literally can’t right now.

“I'm… This is Raton—Connor. This is Connor.” He stated, more in defeat than in meekness.

The man cussed inaudibly, it sounded like he tripped over something, then said, “Come in, Connor, come in!” There was a click.

The gate opened so grandly, showing a large driveway framed by neatly trimmed ledges, leading up to a huge two story house. The front entrance was a nice porch, small stairs leading to the main door. And at the door of the house stood a man in a white shirt and joggers. He was smiling, though out of breath.

Connor, walking up the driveway, dragging his luggage behind him. He wondered what the guy had been doing previously for him to look out of breath.

“Connor!” The man exclaimed happily, “We've been expecting you!”

Connor gave a slow wave, walking towards the man, up the steps and just face to face with the man.

This wasn’t his father.


	2. Ace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had left his phone in his room, it was miraculously on 1% without shutting down yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God im so horrible, I didnt dix the italics of the phonecall
> 
> I am less horrible, im fixing the italics
> 
>  
> 
> Italics are either phonecalls or vlogging bits ty

The interior of the house was simple enough, not too extravagant. Connor could see no frame portrait or family picture around. Instead, there were very expressive paintings that made Connor imagine of winter back in America, just outside of the city of Boston, blankets of snow, undisturbed, save for critters scampering around.

 

“I’m Shay.” The man introduced as he vaguely led Connor into the house, somehow. From the foyer, it opened to a staircase and to the right was an open space of living room. A little far off was the kitchen. The house definitely served its purpose, a house. It was comfortable, but not homey. If that made sense. They were in the living area when Shay twirled around and gave a smile. “If you need anything, I’ll be around.”

Connor blinked, scratched his arm, and said. “Oh, uhm.” There were a lot more things to say than 'oh uhm', but Connor's bastard brain decided to say that.

Shay, kudos to him, was more than aware of the awkwardness Connor was feeling. “Oh, right. Your father will be home by dinner. He’s got some affairs to fix at the office.” They walked up the stairs, “Your room is up here. You’ve got your own bathroom.” From the stairs, there were three doors both on the left and right. At the end of the hall was a decorative table, nothing special.

Shay takes him to the first room to the left, opened it and they enter.

Shay placed his carry yon bag on the bed. “I'll be cooking us dinner. If you want, you can join me in the kitchen.”

Connor nodded, thanking him.

Shay also nodded, then let him be. Going down the stairs, then to the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

When Shay had been out of an earshot, Connor fished out his phone and called his mom, leaving his luggage on the foot of the bed. Once the other line picked up, he washed a hand over his face and inhaled, then exhaled heavily. He mindlessly opened the desk drawer to see its contents.

“ _Hello_?”

“Hey mama.” He closed the drawer a bit too harsh.

“ _Hi son. You got to the place fine?_ ” She greeted with an airy tone. She must have had a nice day at the shop.

“Yes.” He told her in earnest. “But he’s at work.”

“ _Oh_?” She noticed the tinge of disappointment in his voice.

“Yeah, a, uh, a guy, Shay, let me in.”

Ziio laughed at her son’s confusion. “ _That’s his partner._ ”

“Partner—He’s—”

He could see her nod. “ _Yes, son_.”

He decided to ask. “Have you met Shay?”

“ _No, I have not. But he seems to be a nice man._ ”

Connor heaved heavily, dropping to sit on the bed. “Mama, why do you think he wants to see me after all these times?”

“ _I honestly don’t know, baby. He’s not a bad character. Mm, not a good one either_.”

“Oh.”

“ _Yeah. Oh, and your friend Elise came over, said you forgot your headphones in her car._ ”

“Ah, yeah. I did.”

She laughed.

He smiled, “What’s so funny?”

“ _Son, whenever we travel far, I never see you leave without those things in your ears. So you’re telling me you weren’t listening to anything during the entire trip_?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“ _Well, alright. Do tell your father my regards when you see him._ ”

 

 

 

 

Connor joins Shay in the kitchen. He finds the man chopping up carrots for Shepherds’s Pie.

“I can help with cutting.” Connor offered. He had left his phone in his room, it was miraculously on 1% without shutting down yet.

“Would you kindly?” Shay asked, pulling out another knife and chopping board from a drawer. Connor washed his hands then Shay instructed him to dice the potatoes.

It felt oddly domestic. They were cutting vegetables, just Connor and his—just what was Shay to him exactly? His step dad? His another dad? Uncle?

“You're good with a knife.” Shay noted.

He didn’t look up to look Shay in the eyes, but answered him nonetheless. “I help a lot in the kitchen.”

This was nice, quiet. More quiet compared to cooking with his mom. Usually they’d have the radio turned on to its maximum volume. His mom would usually sing to Spanish songs, and Connor could only stare in horror when she sang to the chorus of Despacito. She was also fluent in conversational Spanish, it turns out. She had a spectrum of customers apparently.

Connor glanced at Shay. He wonders if Shay is wondering if he himself should be called 'mom'—er, 'mum'. It didn’t take long until they got the ball rolling. Shay asked him if he knew British history.

And Connor confessed he did not.

The two of them found they had some niche interest they share. History facts. History novels. Movies, documentaries. Then Connor brings up his intentions of vlogging.

He’s had his trip to the mall as his first video already up in YouTube. Elise had posted to her 20k followers on Instagram to check it out. He got a hundred subscribers instantly. Those were small vlog channels themselves.

“Is that like pointing yer camera around while you walk?” The Irishman questioned, putting on a pink oven mitt.

“Basically yeah.” Connor answered, watching Shay put the pie in the oven and now they were just lounging in the kitchen.

“You’ll upload your entire 13-hour day to the internet and people would watch it?” The man questioned in lighthearted incredulity. He walked to the refrigerator.

Connor watched him. “Uhm, not the entire day. Just the good parts.”

“Oh.” He nodded, “Interesting.” He pulls out two bottles of beer.

“Uhm,” there was hesitation in Connor’s voice, “I don’t drink.”

Shay looked alarmed, as if a deer caught in headlights, midway of pulling out beers. He the nodded to himself, pulled out two Pepsi cans and handed one to Connor, while saying, “Oh, wow really? Your cousins, same age as you, they are mad about drinking.”

He lightened up. “Cousins?” Back home, he was basically related to one-fourth of his school community. Now that they were in college, the others going as far as UCLA, he found that he’s still got more cousins than he got friends. That reminds him, he should call Arno and Elise.

But the prospect of actual first degree cousins (Though actually, their mother is Haytham's cousin, but Connor doesn’t know that yet), made Connor feel like he’s got zany cousins. They seem like the partying kind. He wasn’t intimidated by the assumption that they DO frequent clubbing as he had gone to two clubs. Okay, he might be intimidated, no one compares their attendance to clubs. He’s been taken to two clubs and he HATED it, he wasn’t exactly that much of a social being as he was the direct descendant to Chief Mother. The only rebel thing he’s had advantage of is the fact that he could either have long hair or a mohawk, with no in-between.

“Yeah. Oh, you’d like them. They can tour you around. Give you good footage, yeah?”

“Yeah.” He feels more elated now.

 

 

Soon enough, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from the hallway.

Then a man in a clean cut suit entered the kitchen.

As Connor turned to look at the man, he glanced at Shay. He noticed Shay's expression soften.

“Raton—Connor?” The man asked, slowly approached, cautious. It was almost like Connor was an animal easily spooked.

He really wished it wasn’t like that.

Connor wasn’t easily spooked. He wasn’t scared, he was happy.

“Father.”

A child was connected to its mother through the umbilical cord.

The way Haytham Kenway' face lit up just showed that the connection they’ve severed all those years had been reconnected, and it felt right.

 

 

 

 

 

To say they stayed up all night talking was an understatement.

Connor’s mother didn’t have pictures of Haytham. But looking at Haytham, his face was too familiar for Connor to brush off as a stranger.

“It feels like I’m looking at my reflection.” Haytham confessed. They were in the living room. Shay had gone off upstairs, letting father and son have their moment. Connor did wish the man didn’t leave, at least there would be a buffer if somewhere along the conversation it became too awkward.

“How have you been, Connor?” The man asked.

“I’ve been good.”

“I’ve asked your mother about you, but she refused to do so,” He chuckled, “She said that YOU yourself would fill me in on what you have been up to.”

Connor smiled which his father mirrored.

“You must be in college now.”

“Yes, I’m in my fourth year.”

“And you’re taking up a major in?”

“Double majors. Social work and Native American History.”

Haytham was more than impressed of Connor. He would have never thought the boy was one for social work, much less history.

“What did you take up when you were in college?”

“Ah,” he smiled, “I took up Fine Arts shortly, then I shifted to Political Science.”

“Fine arts? Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Connor drank his tea, it was better than beer, and it was too late for coffee. He glanced at the stairs, then took a sip again.

Haytham noticed it, “Are you—Are you concerned about Shay?”

Connor’s head whipped fast, eyes wide. “No,” he said too defensively, “I’ve got nothing against Shay.”

“So you understand about our… partnership.”

Connor laughed, “Father, the way you say it sounds ominous. It made me more concerned for him than of him.” He gave an understanding nod, “But I’m fine with Shay. The one I felt intruding is me. You’ve built a life, with Shay, and you don’t have to include me.”

“But I need to--" he stopped, then corrected himself, “I want to.” He leaned forward, “Connor, if you would have me, I would like you to take up my family name.”

Connor frowned.

Haytham panicked, but he didn’t show it.

“Does Shay have your last name?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Haytham wanted to burst out laughing at the disappointment in Connor’s tone. “Wait, are you two married?”

Haytham was grinning toothily now, “Mm, no we’re not.”

Connor nodded. “Well, okay.”

“But if I were too propose to him, would that be alright with you?” Haytham knew it sounded like he was asking a child for his blessing for Haytham to propose. Somewhat it was like that. He could not stop seeing Connor as a child, his child. He wondered if that was normal for estranged parents who wanted to connect with their child.

“So you're in a gay relationship.”

“Yes.”

“But you also had a relationship with my mother.”

“Yes.”

“You're-- I'm—” He took a deep breath, then asked, “Will you accept me?”

“What do you mean, son?”

“I'm, I don’t… I'm asexual.”

“I'm sorry, what does that mean?”

Shay entered the room with a glass of water in his hand, “It means Connor doesn’t feel sexually attraction.” He turned to said guy for confirmation, then Connor nodded.

“Oh.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Whatever you are, I will accept you.”

“Thank you.”

 

 

 

_“So I just met my estranged father whom I thought was dead since I was born. And we talked, a lot. And somewhere along the conversation, I came out. And I guess it’s also time I came out in my own vlog. I’m asexual.”_


	3. Firm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I see Connor as someone who does woodwork

The next morning, Connor woke up deciding not to vlog.

He finds Shay and his father talking about yesterday’s news.

“Good morning.” He greeted as he entered the room.

“Good mornin', sunshine.” Shay replied (which Connor couldn’t help but smile at, a macho man calling someone else 'sunshine'), pulling out a plate from an overhead cupboard and placing it on the kitchen island for Connor.

“Good morning, Connor.” Haytham said with a small smile. “Slept well?”

“Yes.” Connor replied, then stared albeit too quietly as he watched Shay maneuver around him to fill up his plate with food and pour him a glass of orange juice. And he refilled Haytham's mug with coffee.

Connor was just awed at how fluid and routine Shay was in the kitchen that he almost didn’t hear his father call him. He turned his head and asked, “I'm sorry, what?”

“Work calls, so I have to excuse myself. I'll be seeing the both of you later this evening.” Haytham says, getting up from his seat and placing a hand on Connor's shoulder.

Haytham leaves through the backdoor of the kitchen.

Connor munches on his food and drinks his juice, listening to his father’s footsteps to the garage, and soon after start the car to go to work. An act he didn’t know he would ever do as he always did as a child when his mom had to leave for work herself.

There were small things one would do as a child, only as a child, then, only in certain circumstances were you able to do it as a grown up and still have that innocent childlike awe.

Connor just had his at the age of twenty-two.

He looked up. At Shay. At his father’s partner.

Maybe, in some ironic soap opera, it was Shay who was intruding. That Connor had some disgusting poetic right of blaming Shay and pushing him out the picture.

But no.

Connor did feel like he was intruding in on Shay's life rather than on his father’s. They’ve been probably together for so long that Shay had probably been eased into the idea by Haytham of letting Connor into their lives.

Connor could be Shay's child by extension.

It sounded weird, specially so as Connor was of mature age.

“Shay, I—about my father.”

Shay looked up, midway of taking a bite from his bacon . He looked affronted, understanding what Connor was opening the conversation to. “Ah, lord almighty.” He muttered, a smile still present on his face.

“I-- I don’t uhm, I'm okay with whatever you two have?” Why did Connor sound so unsure with his own assurance. “Uhm, but, I’m curios on how you two met?”

Shay huffed, then smiled in nostalgia. Then he smiled at Connor. “I was yer father's bodyguard.” He noticed the odd look on Connor's face. “Haha, yeah. We always get to talking about anything and everything when it’s just the two of us. Sports, classical books, philosophy…”

“Politics?”

“Oh definitely politics.” He chuckled. “Then one day, he just took me to dinner. And that’s all there is to it.”

Connor stared at him for a second of silence. Then nodded. “I see.” He looked at his orange juice loosely grasped in his hands.

“Connor.”

He looked up. “Yes.”

“I know it’s weird to suddenly find out yer dad is actually alive after, what, two decades? Then find out he has a--"

Connor cut in, “Should I also call you father? Dad? Or uncle?”

Shay burst out laughing.

 

 

 

_“So I played a bit of Dishonored 2 with Shay. I have to confess that he tried very hard to convince me to play as Corvo, but I’m staying loyal to Emily.” Connor laughed. “The only reason he wanted me to play as Corvo was because he has a crush on him. I would’ve thought he’d like Daud better.” He paused, “Has he tried playing the DLC's?”_

_Connor sat up straighter. “Shay?” He called._

_“Yeah?”_

_“You know who Daud is?”_

_About a moment later Shay entered Connor's room in confusion and stated, “Yer asking me who yer dad is?”_

_Connor looked at the camera, “He’d like Daud, I’ll make sure of it.”_

 

 

 

 

 

Ever since Shay had casually stated he had cousins, Connor had caught himself wondering who they would be. Would they be some soccerheads? Question which team he roots for? Or were they the boarding school kind of British kids' holier-than-thou?

He was definitely curious as to who they were.

“Your cousins had been demanding to meet you. You’ll see them tomorrow afternoon.”

He’ll have his answer by tomorrow.

Haytham and him had brunch at a café, a good ten minute drive from the house.

“How about Shay?” Connor questioned as he wore his seatbelt. He confess that in the absolutely short period he has been here had made Connor used to the other man’s presence during mealtimes.

“He’s got errands to run.” Haytham easily replied,

They get in pay parking and take the elevator.

Just as Haytham got in, he told him, “Hold the lift.”

“The what?”

Haytham sighed incredulously, “The elevator.”

Connor only snorted, pressing the 'open' button until a guy holding a parcel came in and thanked him.

They get off at floor 3.

“I completely forgot there are different terms in America.”

“Aside from 'lift', are there other things I should be aware of?”

Haytham chuckled, “You'll come across it.”

The café wasn’t much like a café, it was more like a restaurant with dressed up servers.

Having had sat, Connor noticed that the table setting looked like they were having a 5-course meal. He should have known that one of these days they were going to a fancy place.

Brunch with his mom was a literal café, vegan, run in on a friend or two doing errands then, then they would go to the farmer’s market. It was quaint. It was perfect.

Connor was wondering if this is what Ella felt when she found out she was the princess of Genova. And only on Tumblr did Connor find out that Genova wasn’t a real country.

“So Shay told me you make videos.”

“I vlog.”

Haytham stared at him, then leaned closer, “Come again?”

“'Vlog'? Video blog? Instead of writing, I tell it straight to the camera.”

“Oh, I see.”

Haytham ordered for them.

Connor asked if it was rude to take pictures of their food. Haytham let him. And Connor sent a picture of it to Arno and Elise.

Connor chuckled, still holding his phone. “My friend just told me he’d cook me food for a week if I buy him souvenirs.”

“Mm, tell me about your friends, Connor.”

He tells Haytham about Arno and Elise, how they had been friends since high school. Connor low-key knows the two were already married. Of that time in third year high school when they would free run in the park and have the police talk to them.

“Oh, I used to free run when I was younger.”

Connor chuckled, “I guess it would be weird to ask if we could do it together.”

Haytham chuckled. “Shay could free run with you. Even your cousins.”

“Can you tell me about my cousins?”

They were twins, a boy and a girl. Jacob and Evie Frye.

Jacob was part of his college fraternity, the Rooks, he was even the leader of it.

Evie, who was too clever for her own good, was in some sense, part of Jacob’s brotherhood, even co-leading the Rooks. She did part time work at Haytham's firm.

Haytham's firm. Connor was intrigued by it. A law firm? An accounting firm? He thought Haytham was part of a company in the alley of politics. He intended to ask but the server came with their check.

 

 

 

 

They get back to the car.

Connor took some aesthetic shots of the cityscape, people walking, people at cafes.

Then they stop at a nice neighborhood, not as high class as Haytham and Shay's but it was more of where one could find children playing in the lawn.

They stop at a very Victorian era house parked outside were a black Jeep and a maroon Beetle in the driveway.

They parked at the side of the street and walked up the house.

Haytham rings the doorbell and a voice from inside exclaimed, “It’s open!” Then another shouted, in reprimand to the first, “I told you to lock the door!”

Haytham lets Connor enter the house first, then closed the door behind them.

This house was more homey than that of Haytham and Shay's. Heavy curtains and paintings on the walls. Cupboards full of porcelain ware. Flowers in vases.

They get to what could be the living room and see a guy and a girl midway of throwing their controllers at each other.

They paused and smiled at Haytham. Then in unison greeted them.

“Hello.” They said, a bit too sweetly. Connor couldn’t help but look at them dubiously.

Haytham waved it off and gestured to the two. “Connor,” he started, placing a hand on his son’s shoulder. “These are your cousins, Jacob,”

The guy in a dark green beanie waved, “'Ello!” He dug his hands in the pockets of his joggers.

“And Evie.”

The girl, her hair in boxer braids, gave Connor a nod. She looked like she was ready to go for a yoga session.

“I hope you kids play nice.”

“Oh don’t worry, Uncle Haytham.” Jacob was suddenly beside Connor, to his right, an arm slung over Connor's shoulders.

Evie appeared, arm around Connor's elbow. “Connor will never want to leave.”

There was a small smile on Haytham's face, he nodded. Then left.

Evie and Jacob grinned at Connor. “How great are you at video games?” Evie asked.

“So so.” He replied.

“We are,” Jacob grunted as he scooped the controllers and the Xbox (unplugged of course) and walked awkwardly out of the living room, “GREAT at video games, it’s practically in our genes to be great at video games.”

Evie quickly grabbed the plug hanging from the crook of Jacob’s elbow and wrapped it around his wrist. “Let’s go to the theatre.” She took her and what Connor could assume was Jacob’s phone from the coffee table.

Connor couldn’t help but see the word 'THEATRE' with the very distinct letter R before the letter E. Very British, which apparently is half of Connor's genes.

“Should I grab something?” He asked the two.

“We'll detour to the kitchen, and you grab the chips.” Evie told him. Jacob had gone off to the theatre already.

They get to the kitchen, and on the island counter were bags of groceries. Though upon further inspection (Connor checked what snacks they had), they had party-size chips of differing brands and flavors. He was thinking of doing a mukbang or 'Try British snacks' challenge, even though it wasn’t much of a challenge.

Grabbing the bags, Evie led him to the theater. It was as large as those MTV Cribs home theaters. Deep red walls, dark brown wooden cupboards and tables. Then velvet black bean bags and couches.

Jacob was walking towards the farthest side of the room, having had set up the console. But the thing that struck him the most was the fact that the screen was basically LCD. It made him feel like he’s back at school, listening to his psych elective lecture, though better.

“You want a beer, bruv?” Jacob asked from his side of the room, “Or soda?”

“What--" Connor managed, before Evie cut him.

“We got Dr Pepper.” She offered sitting in front the consoles.

“We got Dr Pepper!” Jacob exclaimed, three cans of Dr Pepper in his hands. He dumped it in front them, one rolled to the side and Evie grabbed it before it became a kid’s exploding science experiment.

 

 

“Do you know what my father works as?” Connor asked after the high of Evie cussing her brother to oblivion.

“Politics.” The twins replied simultaneously.

“But…” he thought of it, “Why is he so secretive about it?”

Jacob slung an arm around him, “Because Daddy's in a very high pedestal, and you haven’t been officially listed as Connor Kenway yet.”

“Ratohnhake:ton.”

Evie turned to him, baffled. “What?” The way she asked that sounded as if he said a bad word.

“The name my mother gave me. My native name.”

“Say it again, luv?” Evie said, cautiously.

“Ratohnhake:ton.”

Then it became a task for the twins to pronounce it correctly. Whoever got it right Connor was going to give a bear carving to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> should I get in on the umbrella academy hype?


	4. Old blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got in on the umbrella academy hype (not really, just watched and meh), now im watching anime again, my hero academia

 

 

 

“ _So it’s day…” Connor looked at his phone, “four of my holiday with my ex-estranged father.” He washed a hand over his face. “I just spent the whole day with the twins, playing the Resident Evil remake until 2 am, until Haytham called Evie and threaten to call their parents on ua.” He chuckled, “it’s nice here.” He makes a look of playful regret, “Don’t tell my mother I said that.”_

_He entered what seem to be the kitchen and saw Shay, “Morning, Shay.”_

_Shay was about to put toast in his mouth, but paused when he saw the camera and did a peace sign. “Top o'the mornin to ya.”_

_“Did you just pulled a Jacksepticeye on me?” Connor put the camera on an angle where it could watch Shay eat his toast and Connor's arm reaching around to make himself a cup of coffee._

_“The fuck's a Jacksepticeye?”_

_“Just an Irish Youtuber.”_

_Shay took his phone from the counter and visibly, then a minute later, a whip sound followed by a scream of 'Top o'the mornin to ya lassies!' Shay chuckled, “I like 'im.”_

_“So do you guys have anything planned for me today?” Connor asked, this time taking the camera and putting it somewhere it saw their hands._

_“Not really, well, my office has a bring yer child to work kind of shindig. And I was hoping I could use you as an excuse not to stay at the office for too long.”_

_Connor paused, then asked a very confused, “What?”_

_“I’m bringing you to work with me.” Shay said thickly, crumbs from his mouth falling on the table. “So me boss would lay me off.”_

_“I am intrigued.”_

_“Hm?”_

_“That you actually haven’t been at work for the past days to accompany me.”_

_“Got a paternity leave.”_

_One could hear how wide Connor’s eyes went. “'A paternity leave?”_

_“Aye.”_

 

 

 

 

 

The two of them were in the car when Haytham called.

“You’re on speakers, luv. Got Connor with me in the car.”

Connor checked his phone and saw that Evie just messaged him, then a message from Arno popped up.

“ _Just wanted to check on you boys_.”

“We’re alright.” Connor said, unlocking his phone to read his messages.

“We're alright.” Shay repeated.

_From Baguette Baguette:_  
_'Gonna play Overwatch, Elise is hating on that Tik Tok Overwatch gamer girl meme'_

_'Hey is my name still bread bread on your phone? I'll fucking end Altair, the dip shit'_

_From Evie:_  
_'Heard Shay is taking you to work. Just a heads up.'_

He waited for a bit, for Evie to complete the thought. But it never came.

“…eat out?” Shay asked, turning to Connor.

Connor blinked then turned to face him, “I’m sorry what?”

“Wanna eat out for dinner? Let’s have Fish and Chips, very British. Take you back to your roots.”

There was an undistinguishable sound from Haytham's end, Connor just thought it was him snorting a laugh.

“Okay.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
They slow down when they approached a light gray two-storey building, there was a large parking space in front the building, there weren’t much cars parked out.

They park under the shade of the building's shadow and climb out.

Connor got a visitor’s pass while Shay showed his ID to the security personnel. Entering the lobby, they were met with a man in a cowboy hat and a man in a red suit jacket. If it was left to Connor’s imagination, he could have even assumed that the two men were hosts for a home channel program.

“Shay fucking Cormac! We thought you might have ran off to Switzerland with your new family!” The man with the cowboy hat exclaimed. He gave a polite smile at Connor then looked around Connor. “So where’s your kid?”

Shay gestured to Connor vaguely, the look on his face showed how much he was not amused of his colleague's statement. “Connor, he’s adopted me as his second father.”

Connor gave a lame wave. “Hello.”

The two men stared at Connor, bug-eyed. Then Cowboy Hat told Shay, “We thought you and Haytham adopted a-uh-uh..”

“A child.” Red Jacket completed.

“Connor’s just in college.” Shay replied dismissively, as if the fact that Connor being in college tantamount to him being a child. Shay started walking and the other two followed him, walking side by side.

Connor, still the topic of their so called debate, stayed back a bit, listening to their conversation.

He was told he could pass up as an Italian or Spanish man, if needed be. That was the sole reason he took up Italian in high school. Fortunately, he actually utilized his skill in Italian in second year college when an Italian transferee and his sister were looking for the Accountancy department.

The man Shay called Monro slowed until he was walking side by side with Connor. “Hello, Connor.” The man greeted with a polite smile.

Connor nodded in return.

“I'm sorry, the way Shay talked about you we thought you were still a child.”

Now Connor just imagined Shay talking so animatedly about how cute a child was to Monro and the other man. Then when they saw Connor, they were both just 'surprised Pikachu face'.

“It’s alright.” Connor told him.

Monro then dug his pockets, “Since we thought you were a wee boy, Christopher and I got you sweets.”

 

 

 

 

  
Connor, lolly in his mouth, watched as the Christipher laughed openly with Shay, as if sharing a joke with the other.

He does wonder how anyone has privacy in these glass panel walls. He doesn’t see the appeal to it. Connor would have never thought Shay would delve into the world of interior design. Maybe an architect or engineer, but that’s very sexist and it’s two thousand queer-teen.

Christopher exited Shay's office. He gave a polite nod at Connor when their eyes met, then went off.

A security personnel passed by Connor, then asked him for his visitor’s pass. He wordlessly showed it to her, she then nodded in satisfaction and left him be.

Connor wondered if the security personnel was irked or endeared by the sight of a grown man with a lollipop in his mouth. He thought it was a bit a funny.

A few moments later, Connor got up and entered Shay's office, sitting on the comfy settee intended for clients. Shay was signing some papers.

“Who was that man?” Connor asked, he wanted to know more about Shay if he couldn’t get a glimpse of his father’s life. From the looks of it, Christopher looks like Shay's best friend, or his first mate. Or something of the sorts.

“My partner.” Shay paused, he looked up as if affronted by his own sentence. “My project partner.” He corrected himself

Connor wanted to point out that Shay didn’t have to be defensive, that even if he was in a gay relationship he could still talk to other guys. That was one of the issue in the early stages of Elise and Arno's relationship. Was it odd that Connor was also learning vicariously about romantic relationships?

“Okay.”

Shay pressed a button on his laptop then closed it. “I have to meet up with two of my contractors.” He grabbed his bag and placed his laptop inside, then zipped it up, “I'll be gone for two hours tops.”

“I can find a way to entertain myself, Shay,” Connor told him, amused, “It’s a nice city.”

 

 

 

 

Shay was to meet up with his contractors, their offices weren’t too far, about five blocks from each other. Shay decided that he and Connor should meet up at a café once he was finished. There was a farmer’s market a block away from the café and Shay was just endeared by the fact that Connor and Ziio frequent the farmer’s market at Boston.

Connor found an antique shop and strike up a conversation with the shopkeeper who had a supposed Native American artifact he’d like to have some background about. He spent more or less forty minutes in that shop. He really liked talking to people.

He then decided to go to the farmer’s market to check out their produce and whatnot. There weren’t much differences in products but Connor did miss walking around the market with his mother.

Then his phone rings.

He picks it up and sees its Shay.

“Yes?”

_“I’m at a café right now, just got off from a meeting, I thought it would’ve been an hour. So where are you?”_

“Farmer’s market.”

“ _Would you mind buying some ingredients? I'll reimburse you.”_

“Well, I'm spending my father’s money anyway, I don’t see why not.”

Shay sends him a list, and when Connor didn’t know, he could just google it, or better yet, ask the seller.

He finishes in under fifteen minutes and he sent a quick text to Shay.

The man sent him directions to the café.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
“Well, if it isn’t Shay Kenway-Cormac.” A woman said, all the sarcasm dripping like poison.

Connor rounded the corner and saw Shay sitting under the shade of the umbrella, and two people hovering like vultures on Shay.

“What, cause you got hired by a better company, you’re better than us now?” The woman jived. “Or is it because you’re rubbing elbows with mafia leaders and corrupt officials that we’re too low for a greeting.”

That was when Connor hastened, actually strode, towards Shay. “I’m back, Shay.” He dropped his paper bag on the table.

“And you are?”

“I’m his son.”

Connor. Stood up straighter, looking as large and as intimidating as he could, he was definitely taller than both the woman and man, while the man was silent, the woman was too surprised. She glanced at Shay with hate and pulled the man with her,, away from Shay and Connor.

Connor sighed and sat beside Shay what just happened basically was some sort of bullying. Or more adult version of it. In Connor’s experience,, he’d rather have both his best friends by his side, talking at him or to each other just to keep him stable. He’s gone to two sessions of anger management and he was too shy of the his therapist. So what he was doing now is what helped Connor most, just a solid presence beside him.

  
Shay looked at Connor, teary eyed. “Connor, I—thank you.”

Connor gave a small smile, “So I also call you ''father'?”

The older man enveloped him in an embrace. “You're… you're too good for this world, Connor.”

 

 

 

 

 

Haytham looked up as two men entered the restaurant. He smiled to himself, feeling a slight buzz at the sight of a happy Connor and Shay getting along so much more than he had anticipated.

The two approach him and sat.

“How was your day, you two?” He asked them with a smile.

“Monro and Gist gave Connor sweets.” Shay said, which Connor consequently raised his bodybag and jiggled it. He could here the telltale of hard glucose in plastic wrapping. “They said the way I made him sound, they thought he was a kid.” He informed the older man.

“Not that I’m complaining.” Connor stated.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As u could see, i included that tiktok gamed girl meme, which was last year ago, which shows how long i have bwen attempting to write haha
> 
>  
> 
> Pls r&r


	5. Rakkettu Dan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dont remember if thats the romanji spellIng tho haha
> 
> A bit of shaytham
> 
>  
> 
> And im sorry for the whoreshaming
> 
>  
> 
> This is a safe place, shhhh

The next morning, he was at the breakfast table, having brunch with Shay talking about house flipping when he heard the doorbell.

“Oh, the twins are here.”

Connor perked up from his oats, “Evie and Jacob?”

Shay winced in guilt. He looked at Connor with a sheepish look. “Shite, forgot to tell ya they wanna go swimming?”

Connor wanted to laugh that yes he forgot to tell Connor they were going swimming. But he didn’t exactly like going to public places to swim. Sure there was a forgotten lake near their house, but because everyone in their town thought it was haunted. Connor knew it was blessed.

“Should I get ready then?” The

“We got our own pool.”

“We got our own pool?” Connor parroted in incredulity.

Shay groaned, “Yer dad is better at remembering things than I do.”

Shay goes around the counter and opened the gate for the twins (It was one of those press-a-button-things that Connor swore he saw about ten boxes of it in Shay's office the other day). A minute later, they hear the two bantering as they came nearer the house.

Shay greeted them at the door and told them Connor was in the kitchen.

“Connor, mate!” Jacob exclaimed. He was in a white shirt and black shorts, he had pink arm floats on. Two separate bags of their change of clothes and an eco bag of what looked like board games.

Evie in minimal athleisure wear: leggings and a hoodie, was holding two bags. Food was what Connor could guess. “Morning, Connor.”

“Morning.”

“We’ve brought a little bit of too much.” Jacob confessed as he dropped the bags on the floor.

Evie took one of the bags she had and handed it to Connor, “Sorry but we kinda knew you before you knew of us, so when Uncle Haytham told us we had a cousin we got you gifts for every year since.”

Connor chuckled as he got the bag, “Since when did you know I was alive?”

“Since we were nine.” Jacob said, sitting beside him on a stool and pouring himself a glass of juice.

“We kinda skip years, so it’s really a mess.” Evie stated.

“There was a time,” Jacob said, “I got you some condoms and wrapped it up all nicely so Evie won’t throw it out.”

She glared at him, “Now that I know about it--"

Shay cackled, “You got Connor condoms?”

Connor gave an embarrassed smile at the two. He had told Shay about it, Now he guessed he should tell the twins too. “Uhm, I don’t do sex.”

“What do you mean ‘don’t do sex'?” Jacob questioned, utterly confused. Evie didn’t say a thing.

“I’m asexual.”

Evie grinned, “Well then, I'll out my brother, he’s a whore.”

“Evie, you shut it!”

Shay snickered.

Jacob reached into Connor's bag, grabbed said gift and handed it to Shay. “Go forth and multiply.” He saw the amused grin on Shay's face, then took it back, handing it to his sister, “I want a child named after me.”

Evie accepted it silently, staring at the package in her hands with a blank expression. Then he looked her twin dead in the eye and said, “This may have been passed it’s expiration.”

Shay had to run to another room to laugh at their shenanigans.

 

 

 

 

_“So my cousins got me gifts for my birthday, or should I say birthdays.”_

_“So apparently, they had knowledge of me before I had knowledge of them or even that of my father.”_

_“I’ve got the gifts all sorted out by year. I had them help me out.” He looked of camera and beckoned the two to come._

_A hand comes over the camera to wave._

_Evie sits to Connor’s right and Jacob to his left._

_“Please state your name for the record.” Connor said._

_“Jacob Frye.”_

_“Evie Frye.”_

_Jacob then says with amazing passion, fist pumped, “Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light! Surrender now, or prepare to fight!_  
_Meowth! That's right!” and Evie reached over to pull his beanie down his face._

_“So Evie, which one is the first one?”_

_“When we were nine, first year of us knowing about you, I wrote you a letter and got you this.” She grabbed a box small box the size of a smart phone. “Uncle Haytham showed us a picture of you, and I have to apologize, I thought you were a girl, because the picture showed you having a bit of long hair.”_

_Jacob laughed, “What got him hair ties and a headband?”_

_“No!” Evie said, defensive, she turned to Connor. “I got you jack stones. I thought I’d get someone to finally play with me.”_

_From behind the camera, an “Awwww" could be heard._

_Evie laughed._

_Connor smiled as he was handed the box. “I actually know how to play jack stones.”_

_There was a cut of Connor and Evie playing jack stones._

_Cut to the main video._

_“What did nine year old Jacob get?”_

_“I actually got you,” he grabbed a green gift wrapped packet, “socks.” Jacob said, a bit too excitedly._

_Connor and Evie looked at him oddly._

_“I got good socks! You know! The ones that have really kickass cartoons!”_

_“How much can I bargain that those socks can’t fit Connor anymore?” Shay asked off-camera._

_Cut to Connor only getting his toes in the two socks. He’s holding the camera down to his feet and says, “Jacob owes Shay ten bucks, or the euro equivalent to it.”_

_Evie's manicured feet joined Connor’s in the screen. “We should get our nails done.”_

_“We **should** get our nails done.”_

 

 

 

 

 

  
The next day, they go for an early run. Unfortunately, Shay did not join them.

“We’re going to this nice café afterwards.” Evie told him.

Connor and Jacob were stretching.

They were at a park and some high school boys had approached the twins asking for pictures.

Apparently, the twins were local celebrities, parkour enthusiasts would often see the two running around town.

“Who’s he?” The children inquired politely, gesturing at Connor who was finishing tying his hair, then moving over to Jacob to tie his to make him look like an alien.

Eviw turned back to anser the boya with a smilw “Cousin, from America.”

“Cool.”

Jacob has a Go-Pro and had worn it.

So the plan was to rfree run until they reach the café. Evie would lead, Connor follows and Jacob behind. Jacob has retorted, only Evie reminded him they’d somehow end up in Ireland or something.

“Which would be good,” Jacob said, turning it on, “'Least we’ll send Shay a postcard.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shay strutted in Haytham's office as if he owned the place. He took off his sunglasses as he walked towards the settee in front Haytham’s desk.

“Hey babe.” He greeted in nonchalance.

Haytham glanced up briefly, parroting him, “Hey… babe…” When he processed what came out of his mouth, he scoffed and said, “No, never going to say that again.”

Shay placed his folded sunglasses on the desk. “Just wanted to drop by and ask how my most favourite person in the world is. Well,” he gave a mock guilty look, “second favourite person in the world.”

Haytham, in good nature, smirked at him, “And who is this that I have to duel for your affections?”

Shay replied with a knowing smile.

“Oh. Oh! So you made me second to my own flesh and blood?”

Shay shrugged, “After what had transpired the other day, with Connor – my most favourite person – defending my honor, it's a no-brainer on who the top of the list is.”

“How about the twins?”

“Ah, those two little shites can shove it. I’m never agreeing to eating whatever Jacob puts in my hand.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
“Connor! Down!” Jacob screamed in panic.

Connor quickly ducked, kneeling on the ground and face to his knees. He felt a breeze whip above head and the sound of a scream. He looked up as Jacob rolled towards a café ad Evie was by the door, already opening it.

Connor stood up and jogged towards them. Evie cackled as her brother’s momentum made him roll inside the café like a ball.

Evie smiled sweetly as she let Connor in first and let the glass door close behind her.

There was a man behind the counter, weary of what just happened in front the café. “Why, the Frye twins had graced my store once again.” He said, no malice in his voice, just familiarity.

Jacob hoisted himself up by grabbing the edge of the counter and greeted the man with, “Can I get an iced café latte, Greenie?”

Evie walked in and slapped a hand on Connor’s elbow, “This is the bloke we’ve told you about, you know, Connor?”

The man looked at Connor with an amicable smile, “Hello, I’m Henry.”

“Get whatever you want, Connor, Jacob's treat.”

“My treat!” Jacob echoed jovially, then paused when he processed what his sister said, “'My treat'?!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

The café was actually empty for a quirky shop situated in an otherwise busy street.

The four of them sat at a table by a window, watching people walking in the streets, going about their day.

Henry had put a 'Closed' sign by the door. Connor was worried Henry might lose a day worth of sales.

“History! Well, looks like we’ve got something somewhat in common.” Henry exclaimed in glee. “Though, I’m focused on the Industrial Age History, and having a masters on it too. Tell me, Connor, will you be taking a masters?”

Connor hummed, staring at the twins. Jacob had played the Roblox in Connor’s phone, Evie was eating a cupcake and simply listening to their conversation.

“I don’t believe so.”

“What are your plans?”

“I believe I will just finish my undergraduate courses and help my grandmother run her store. There are some of our people who had only finished as far as high school, and I intend to help them.”

“He’s basically their mayor.” Jacob said, glancing up.

“Jacob, shush! The adults are talking!” Evie whispered harshly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evie invites Henry to go free run with them, but the guy said no, stating that he had an anime to finish.

“My Hero Academia?” Jacob questioned.

“Banana Fish.”

Jacob cringe, “Dude.”

Connor wanted to say he himself watched said anime.

“I'll see you around then.” Henry said, offering Connor a hand to shake.

Connor smiled, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr Green.”

“Henry.”

“Alright, Henry.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, when you comment, it just melts my heart, like i cant even
> 
> Then if u evenmention its relatable, it just shows that im achieving my author goal.
> 
> Actually, I want and like writing stories that has more emphasis on relationships than the actually plot hehe.
> 
> Thanks for reading, im estimating about three more chaps for this
> 
>  
> 
> Sry thanks for the comments and still reading even with the wonky uploading sched and thw lack of grammar


	6. Follow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haytham's truth revealed by the Jenners of his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know alot of ppl dont like KUWTK, but really there might be parallels haha

 

 

 

 

 

He spends the night at the twin's place and there was something awfully familiar with the [black and turquoise maze game](https://www.playscarymazegame.net/play-scary-maze-game/) Evie made Jacob play on her laptop. Then it hits him just as Jacob reached the red dot.

  
It was the cheap jumpscare that made Jacob nearly wake the entire street in the middle of the night.

 

Evie was cackling, being the conniving twin she was.

 

Then it started. Jacob had just gone to the bathroom and Evie plopped beside Connor, putting up her legs on Connor’s lap.

 

“So,” she started.

 

“So.” He parroted. He was confused, that tone always led to something. He would know, Elise would do the same when she had to be frank but still talk to a person like they were a small child.

 

She offered a half smile, "How's life as a Kenway?"

 

He opened his mouth, ready to defend himself that his viewers, which by extension, the world, knew who he was. Vlogging meant the vlogger had to bw open and honest. But truth be told, he wasn’t exactly open, was he?

 

They knew him as Connor. They knew of Shay and Evie and Jacob, and the fact that Connor was vacationing. But not Connor Kenway, or the Frye twins, or that Shay was his father's partner.

 

“I’m not a Kenway yet.” Connor half defended.

 

Evie frowned at that, she was about to disagree with his statement when Jacob slid in the couch on Connor’s other side. Connor felt an odd sense of deja vu from the fact that the two were at his sides.

 

The Jacob spoke. “You're a Kenway, Con. You've been a Kenway since you became Ratohnhake:ton.”

 

Evie whipped her head at him in disbelief and anger.

 

Jacob grinned at them in triumph.

 

Connor didn’t look at Jacob, but at the air in front them, pensive. He should let his viewers know, he owes them that.

 

“I'll upload a video.” He decided.

 

“' _Video_ '?!” Evie repeated in fury, “that’s not the issue, luv. Your dad had never left the limelight since he ran in opposition of grandpa Edward's political party with supposed corrupt officials.

 

“He tried staying out by going private, getting a doctorate in Boston. Then he apparently met a beautiful Native American woman, while doing his dissertation there. Then he was in radio silence before coming back with Shay.

 

“Uncle Haytham said he was happy, but he said there was something missing. Then he found you. And he wanted to be a part of your world.” (Jacob sang '[Part of your world](https://g.co/kgs/HrDgDu)', garnering a kick from his sister.)

 

“So you see, Connor,” Jacob picked up from his sister, “Your being open with your life leads to opening Uncle Haytham's, humanizing him somehow.”

 

“It’s not just a wall of shame or a drunken bar fight tabloids give two shites about. It’s this. Many people are trying to take yer dad down, especially now he’s been asked to spearhead the UK branch of the largest multi-dollar company in Europe.”

 

Connor stared at her, expectantly.

 

Evie and Jacob stared back at him.

 

"Which is?"

 

"Abstergo."

 

"A pharmaceutical company?!" Connor asked, tone unnecessarily harsh. He remembered his cousin Desmond and his friends had broken in San Diego Abstergo with the help of some quirky hackers. Desmond had joked about it, but Connor nearly had a heartattack when Desmond confessed it was the reason he was missing from his bartending job.

 

"Not just any pharmaceutical company, its been branched out to technology and some other departments." Jacob informed him, goodnaturedly.

  
All of them relocated in the kitchen, Evie let Connor research on everything Abstergo on her laptop while Jacob makes them supper.

 

They talk about anything and everything Abstergo-related. Evie talks about her observations of the workplace without giving too much details on work as she had signed an 'affidavit of non disclosure' or whatever that was; Jacob talked about one of his Rooks who was receiving dialysis from the generous charity of Abstergo ("Wallace deserves it, he's been through a lot, with the scholarship and working for a design company. Bugger deserves it." Jacob pursed his lips into an amused curl, "Though Uncle Haytham may have had a hand on it.")

 

Connor turned to look at his cousin, "Evie,"

 

She in turn looked back at him, "Connor,"

 

"While you're on your internship at Abstergo, what do you call Haytham?"

 

"Call 'im 'sir' of course." She replied playfully, "Though I may have slipped a few of 'Uncle Haythams' here and there."

 

Connor, still on Evie's laptop, went to look at his Youtube channel and saw that a hundred were added to his sub count. then he opened his IG account for the first time since he landed from the plane from America.

 

"Oh, you're already following me." Connnor said, when he saw about a dozen of pictures and selfies were tagged to him by a single person. An _Evielution_ , followed by hundreds of likez.

 

He followed her back and saw Jacob's account and followed him too.

 

Consequently, Jacob's phone beeped and Jacob grinned, pulling out his phone to check. He didn't need to. "Thanks for the follow, Connor."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jacob and Evie are literally Kylie and Kendall Jenner in this family drama, but at the same time not. Ya feel me?
> 
> I finally put hyperlinks so it feels more like Im dping my best haha, but I really am.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	7. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another set of keys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did some changes, edits that were cringey

 

 

 

He announces he's going home.

 

The two grin at him smugly.

 

He asks them why they were smiling like that.

 

Then they just look at him pointedly.

 

It was weird, because it had only been a couple of days and he had felt at home in Haytham and Shay's house that he had to call it home.

 

The twins offered to drive him. He turned them down. Jacob offered he lend Connor his car. He also turned that down.

 

Before he stepped out the Frye house, Evie gave him a set of keys.

 

"Sometimes I go over at Uncle Haytham's to grab a file or feed the dog."

 

Connor's eyes went wide. "There's a dog?!"

 

Jacob looked at him warily, "Connor, bruv, sure you don't need a ride?"

 

Evie was trying not to smile at how exasperated Connor was, "It's a big house, I'm sure if you wander around it long enough you'll find the closet Shay came out of."

 

By some twin intuition, Evie turned to look to the couch, at Jacob who had his mouth open, face hard.

 

"Sorry, was that homonegative?"

 

Jacob stayed in that position for a moment then scrunched his face in disagreement, "Not if Shay finds it funny." He shifted to be more comfortable in a supine position and went back to his phone.

 

Going back home, he sees why Evie gave him the keys.

 

He's got the house to himself. And the dog he had never met in the past days he'd been in the house.

 

But just as he opened the door, a greyhound greeted him with a huge doggy smile.

 

He put his bag down and knelt down, scratching the dog under the chin. "Hello there, I don't think we've met. I'm Connor."

 

He find the dog's nametag.

 

Morrgan.

 

"Good girl, good girl. Come on, let's wash some clothes." He grabbed his bag as he stood up and closed the door behind him. He pet's Morrgan's head as she followed him to the linen room.

 

It really was a huge house. One would believe just stepping in the first room, one could estimate how much space the house was.

 

But it turns out there were more: there were two other bedrooms, a gym room and a reading nook.

 

Though in one of the bedrooms, it looked like it was well-lived in. Upon further inspection, it was Shay's room??

 

From what Connor could deduce, it doubled as Shay's office from the telltale signs of interior design books, several mood boards and an award of junior interior decorator of the year.

 

He sees a DSLR camera on the table and printed out pictures. Instead of interiors of houses or offices, it was pictures of people. Of Evie, Jacob, Haytham and some other people he hasn't had the pleasure of meeting yet.

 

Then his phone alarm rang.

 

"Oh, clothes are finished." He muttered to himself.

 

He goes back to the linen room where Morrgan had taken a nap, she had been lulled to sleep by the washing machine's hum.

 

Just as he was finished loading his clothes into the dryer, his phone started ringing again, but this time it was a call.

 

He smiled as he answered, "Arno! Or Elise?"

 

" _Hey there best friend!"_ Came a female voice.

 

"Elise." He noted, smile on his face.

 

" _How's Mr 20,000 Subscribers?_ " She asked. He hears other voices at her end of the line. She must be at her father's company. There were times when they have functions they have her emcee.

 

"Who?" Did she meant Jacob? But she said 'subsribers' though.

 

" _You, silly! Is this a bad time?"_

 

"No," he looked around the space of the living room and the kitchen, gestured to it as if Elise was with him, "I got the house to myself. "

 

" _Can we Facetime?"_

 

It takes them awhile to set up, but once they did Connor was more than surprised to see that his two best friends were not only in his house but in his kitchen, eating a bowl of stir fried cauliflower and between them was his mother. He knows its stir fried cauliflower rice because its his own recipe, and by 'his own recipe' he meant he ripped it off from Pinterest.

 

"Hi mom," He greeted good naturedly, "how are you doing?"

 

She looked up from her bowl with a faint disdainful frown, _"Come home_."

 

His heart dropped.

 

" _This_ ," she raised a spoonful of cauliflower, " _doesn't taste as good as you make."_

 

Elise had to face away when she nearly spat out her drink. She laughed with her eyes, cheeks full, flailing her handa around in mirth.

 

While Arno looked at Ziio, hurt, " _Auntie Zi, why do you do this to me?"_

 

It turns out, Ziio had asked Arno to make Connor's cauliflower rice out of boredom, and Arlise could not say no as they themselves were just lounging at home.

 

"Father got you a variety of boxes of tea."

 

" _Throw it down the river, you know I don't drink tea."_ Ziio said in nonchalance. Arlise were shocked.

 

Connor grinned.

 

" _Are you alone?_ " Arno asked.

 

"Yes."

 

" _Home tour! Home tour!"_ Elise chanted.

 

Connor laughed, then proceeded to give them a tour of Haytham's house. The four bedrooms, the three and a half baths, the reading nook, then the gym room. Put tothe backyard, a nice swimming pool, then back inside where they started: the kitchen.

 

" _And holy crap, is that their dog?"_ Elise asked when Morrgan wove between Connor's legs like a cat, enabling them to get a peek of a brown wagging tail.

 

Connor turned his phone to show Morrgan. "How many days, and can you believe I just met her today?"

 

" _What_?!" Arlise exclaimed.

 

While Ziio had an amused smirk, " _Well, the house is huge_." She told them decidedly.

 

" _How're your cousins?_ " Arno asked, " _Uh, what's their names? Jacob and Stevie_?"

 

Connor tried very hard not to comment about a Youtuber he knows named Stevie. He tells them that Jacob and Evie are very much jocks. Well, geek jock and prep jock, respectively. They have their own mafia and they free run.

 

" _Then it'd be a ruckus if all five of you are here_." Ziio commented, midway of a spoonful of cauliflower. " _Five millennials under my roof, I don't think I'm capable_." Arlise laughed.

 

Then a text popped up on his screen.

 

From Dad:  
_'Are you home_?'

 

He bids his mom and best friends good bye. Then he sent a quick'ye' to Haytham,

 

before Aquila huffed and jumped up and placed her paws on Connor, startling him and pushing him out of balance.

 

And he just stays there, a greyhound dog laying its head on him.

 

He doesn't know how long he was staying there on the tiled floor, because he finds Haytham approaching him and standing over him with a quizzical look.

 

"Why?"

 

"Hi dad, have you met our dog?" Connor asked, tone sounding a bit spiteful but he wasn't. "Because I, for sure, have not."

 

Haytham offered his hand to his son and hoisted him up, then spoke while Connor made his way to the kitchen island. "Morrgan is a special dog. She's rescued from violent owners who debarked."

 

Connor sat, watching this beautiful brown dog follow him.

 

Connor reached his hand out to pat Morrgan's head. "You're in a safe home now, Morrgan."

 

Haytham opens the flap of his phone case, pulled out a black MasterCard and slides it across the counter towards Connor.

 

Connor, blinked, took it, looked at it and said, “Thanks?”

 

He laughed, “It slipped my mind, I should’ve asked you when you first got here. My company is having a charity event and everyone will be there looking their best.”

 

In Connor's mind, he could see a gala with people in formal wear and overflowing champagne. “And the credit card?”

 

“I doubt you had a suit packed, so I’m giving you free reign to buy it for yourself.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Morrigan the ship has become Morrgan the doge haha


	8. Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cryaotic voice* And now we end this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
_The camera was angled just below Shay’s chin, the man had a smirk on his face, he was looking at something off-camera. “Connor's having an crisis. He knows nothing about suit and tuxes.” Then there was the distant sound of the doorbell and a door opening. “Good thing Jacob knows a thing or two about suits.” As he said that, he turns the camera around to show Jacob and Evie entering the living room, Jacob heard his name and strikes a vogue pose, while Evie passed by behind him with a peace sign to her face._

_Evie looks at Connor and asked, “Ready to go dress shopping?”_

_The clip cuts to Connor and his cousins climbing out of Evie's G-wagon in the mall parking lot._

_Connor asked the two, “So are you guys going to the event?”_   
_dew_   
_“Yeah, man!” Jacob answered, “It’s basically a family reunion laced with political rapport. It’s gonna be special.”_

_The elevator door opens and the three of them pile in. Jacob pressed the button to where they were going and a second later the three of them exit the elevator._

_The video cuts to presumably Evie holding the camera and Connor tying his hair into a loose bun. It’s just a bunch of aesthetic shots of Connor and Jacob talking, Jacob and the tailor discussing, Evie flashing the camera on a mirror and waving, and Connor paying for his suit._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connor fixed his tie, it was a skinny tie. He smoothed his lapels with a swipe of his hand. He smiled down at his suit. He would have thought Evie was more perceptive of fashion, but it seems Jacob was a GQ kinda guy. Connor had sent a Snapchat to his friends and mom; Arno said he looked like a 'sexy beast' and that he should wear formal every time, Elise said he looked 'cute and fragile'. His mother just said 'lol'.

 

Tonight was the night. It wasn't much of anything. He doesn't know why he has to make a huge deal out of it. He didn’t know if he was suppose to be terrified or excited. It was a mix of feelings and unfeelings.

 

“You gotta calm down, sunshine.”

 

Connor turned to face Shay.

 

The man rose up from his perch on the couch. He looked too comfortable in this kind of... whatever this was. “Connor, what have you got to worry about?”

 

He looked down, a frown on his face. “I—I feel like vlogging everything, about father’s private life, is like some form of invasion of privacy.”

 

“It’s not,” Shay told him, reassuringly, “I swear, it’s not. For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing him a favor.”

 

He looked up at Shay. “How?”

 

“Ye know how the public believes he’s like the illuminati overlord? Glimpses into his life would show he’s not the evil man they think he is.” He patted Connor’s shoulder and started walking towards the door. “I'll get you a drink to calm you down.”

 

He was pulling the door open, when Connor reminded him.

 

“I don’t drink, Shay!”

 

“Water then, you vegan!” Shay exclaimed, chuckling.

 

Connor huffed goodnaturedly to himself, finger combing his hair. He then heard Shay, outside the room, share a few words with someone then bid the person good luck.

 

The door opened and in came Haytham. He shockingly did not look any different from his usual corporate wear. “How are you, my boy?”

 

“Nervous.” Connor admitted.

 

“What for?”

 

He took a deep breath. “I don’t know. It’s like, I feel people would shake their heads because I’m not as-as refined as you, or Shay, or Evie and Jacob."

 

(Haytham could hear Shay groan and scream in disagreement that Evie and Jacob being refined is a contradiction of its own.)

 

“I’ven't spend much time with you, just a week with you and you’ve accepted me with open arms. You’ve even given me your name. But one wrong move, I'll put you in a bad light.”

 

“Connor, do believe me when I say that you’ve got more social grace than the two. And I know you, you wouldn’t do something so reckless to put a stain on my name. Heaven knows, I’ve done enough to sully my name."

 

Connor just stared at him wordlessly.

 

“Listen son. If it all gets too much, you just get one of us and we'll have our own afterparty, alright?"

 

Connor stared at his father. At Haytham Kenway. Who was, much to his knowledge, dead before he received an envelope with an economic class ticket and an address to a house in Brit-land.

 

He smiled and nodded.

 

 

 

 

  
“ _So, as everyone in the world now knows, I am officially a Kenway."_

 

 

 

 

  
Connor smiled at his luggage. His father had lent him a bright pink bag. Shay had informed Connor that "it's the gayest thing your father owns", and Connor knew it since he saw the extensive collection of baggage in the attic. He saw a box branded Louis Vuitton and he knew it was probably one of those overnight bags. Haytham had bought it for Shay since Shay, at that time, was making a lot of gay stereotype references and Haytham buying him branded goods added oil to the fire than appease and cease Shay's indignant references to being gay.

 

"I cannot even begin to imagine what you feel with your bag." Kassandra stated, watching Connor shove the pink bag in his closet.

 

"Euphoric, sentimental, teary." Connor listed in nonchalance, closing the door with a lot of force.

 

Kassandra flinched at the sound. "Is angry part of that list?"

 

"No, I've always needed to do that to get the lock to work." Connor then sat by his desk. "I always find myself in the midst of foreigners, I noticed."

 

Kassandra laughed. "So an American walks into the room."

 

Connor raised a brow, puzzled on what the punchline will be.

 

"He finds out he's fluent in Italian, French and Greek."

 

Connor scoffed. The punchline wasn't all that amusing.

 

"So what's your first period?" She asked, pulling out her phone. "Hopefully we get our breaks lined up and you can take me to the cafes, yeah?"

 

Connor nodded, "How is it you're older than me but you're in your first year?"

 

Kassandra shrugged, "Went to the army after high school and clambered my way up the ranks."

 

"Brawns and looks." Connor commented.

 

"Then the Jesus of mathetics turns out to be my direct descendant," Kassandra said, scratching her temple with her phone. "Apparently, the entire academic world had thinks education is my birth right."

 

"I think thats a good problem." Connor stated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Kassandra was telling him about her half brother and how she basically thought he was dead for about twenty years and now they were friends on Facebook.

 

Connor laughed. He's got experience on that area.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im so glad i finished this. I never finish most of my stories huhu
> 
>  
> 
> But thank you guys for putting up with me and this basically crack fic
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this as much as i enjoyed writing it


End file.
